WHY do we not celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival with as much merriment as we do Halloween?

Is it that Western ghosts are friendlier?

As Singaporeans become more highly educated, many dismiss the Hungry Ghost Festival as mere superstition, but there are still many who observe the festival and make offerings.

What puzzles me is how this year's Halloween seems to have been more widely celebrated here, as reported in the newspapers.

Is it just a case of consumerism, the embracing of foreign culture, or are we so eager for fun that we readily give up our traditions for another, regardless of whether it makes sense or not.

Are Singaporeans attracted only to the fun element of Halloween, being unable to resist the shelves of chocolate eyeballs, witches' hats and party booze, while neglecting the significance behind it all?

Or do property moguls have stakes in the media, and they do not wish to see October become another quiet month for property transactions?